What are the application fields of vertical vacuum furnaces?

Vertical vacuum furnaces play a key role in multiple high-end manufacturing fields due to their characteristics of non oxidizing environment, precise temperature control, and high cleanliness treatment. Their core application areas and typical scenarios are as follows:

1. New energy manufacturing: improving material performance and production efficiency
Lithium battery material processing
Sintering of positive electrode material: By controlling the oxygen partial pressure (such as 10-100Pa) and temperature gradient (such as preheating section 500 ℃ → reaction section 900 ℃ → cooling section 200 ℃) in the furnace, uniform doping of LiNi ₀. 8Co ₀. 1Mn ₀. 1O ₂ (NCM811) material is achieved, resulting in a battery cycle life exceeding 2000 times and a capacity retention rate increased to 98%.
Graphitization of negative electrode material: High temperature treatment (2500-3000 ℃) under vacuum environment to reduce impurity infiltration, improve graphitization degree, and enhance battery charging and discharging efficiency.
Annealing of photovoltaic silicon wafers
Under vacuum or inert gas protection, high-temperature annealing (900-1200 ℃) is performed on single crystal/polycrystalline silicon wafers to eliminate processing stress, improve crystal quality, and increase photoelectric conversion efficiency by 1-2%.
Preparation of Fuel Cell Catalysts
The Pt precursor is reduced to 2-5nm nanoparticles using a vacuum reduction process (vacuum degree of 10 ⁻ Pa), with a standard deviation of particle size distribution<0.5nm. The catalytic activity is increased by 18% compared to traditional processes, and the amount of precious metals used is reduced.

2. Semiconductor Packaging: Ensuring Device Performance and Reliability
Chip substrate soldering
High density lead frame welding is completed in a vacuum environment of 10 ⁻ Pa to avoid the influence of oxide layer on the bonding strength between Cu alloy and ceramic substrate. The defect rate of solder joints is less than 0.1%, meeting the requirements of 5G communication equipment for high-frequency signal transmission stability.
Diffusion annealing of crystalline silicon solar cells
Under the synergistic effect of POCl ∝ atmosphere and high temperature of 900 ℃, a uniform phosphorus doped layer (block resistance of 60-80 Ω/□) is formed, and the photoelectric conversion efficiency is improved to over 22%.
Third generation semiconductor material processing
Vacuum sintering of silicon carbide (SiC) crystals (above 1600 ℃) suppresses carbon oxidation, reduces defect rate by 42% compared to traditional processes, and increases crystal growth rate by 25%.

3. Metal Refining and Heat Treatment: Optimizing Material Structure and Properties
Purification of refractory metals
By using a rotating stirring mechanism to improve the purification efficiency of metals such as tungsten and molybdenum, the production cycle is shortened by 30%, and the purity can reach over 99.99%.
Aerospace component processing
Vacuum heat treatment (1200 ℃ high temperature+high-purity argon protection) was performed on the turbine blades of aircraft engines to eliminate the segregation of γ ‘phase in In718 alloy, resulting in a 15% increase in the material’s durability strength.
Vacuum oil quenching treatment for large-sized components, with a maximum furnace loading capacity of 2.5 tons and quenching deformation less than 0.1mm.
Precision parts annealing
Vacuum annealing is carried out on stainless steel bearings, cutting tools, etc. After treatment, the surface is bright and oxidation free, with a hardness uniformity of ± 1HRC, meeting high-end manufacturing requirements.

4. Ceramic and glass processing: improving product density and strength
Ceramic sintering
Suitable for sintering transparent ceramics and structural ceramics, by precise temperature control (± 1 ℃) and atmosphere control (such as nitrogen and hydrogen), the product can achieve a density greater than 99% and increase bending strength by 20-30%.
Hot bending and melting of glass
Heat bend (600-800 ℃) or melt (1400-1600 ℃) glass in a vacuum environment to avoid the formation of bubbles and impurities, resulting in a finished product with a light transmittance of>92%.

5. Research and New Material Development: Promoting Technological Innovation
Research on Material Phase Transition
Observing the phase transition microstructure evolution of metals at different cooling rates (such as 50 ℃/min) to provide data support for the design of new alloys.
Preparation of nanomaterials
By controlling the ratio of H ₂/N ₂ mixed atmosphere (volume ratio 1:9) and synergistic effect with high temperature of 1000 ℃, single-layer graphene with purity>99.5% was prepared, and the controllability of the number of layers reached ± 1 layer.
High temperature reaction experiment
Catalyst sintering, activation and other reactions are carried out in a vacuum or atmospheric environment, such as in the synthesis of MOFs materials. By precisely controlling the N ₂ flow rate (50mL/min) and residence time, ultrafine porous materials with a specific surface area>3000m ²/g are prepared.

6. Environmental Protection and Resource Recycling: Achieving Green Manufacturing
Retired battery recycling
The vacuum pyrolysis process (500-800 ℃) is used to separate electrode materials from membranes, with cobalt, nickel, and lithium recovery rates>95%, reducing wastewater discharge by 90% compared to wet metallurgical processes.
Harmless treatment of waste
By using high-temperature incineration, pyrolysis and other processes to treat industrial waste, such as processing arsenic containing gold concentrate in a vibrating fluidized bed structure furnace, the arsenic volatilization rate can be increased by 2-7%, achieving resource utilization.